Glycolysis Biochemistry of Metabolism Copyright © 1998-2004 by Joyce J. Diwan. All rights reserved.

Glycolysis takes place in the cytosol of cells. Glucose enters the Glycolysis pathway by conversion to glucose-6-phosphate. Initially there is energy input corresponding to cleavage of two ~P bonds of ATP.

1. Hexokinase catalyzes: Glucose + ATP  glucose-6-P + ADP The reaction involves nucleophilic attack of the C6 hydroxyl O of glucose on P of the terminal phosphate of ATP. ATP binds to the enzyme as a complex with Mg++.

Mg++ interacts with negatively charged phosphate oxygen atoms, providing charge compensation & promoting a favorable conformation of ATP at the active site of the Hexokinase enzyme.

The reaction catalyzed by Hexokinase is highly spontaneous. A phosphoanhydride bond of ATP (~P) is cleaved. The phosphate ester formed in glucose-6-phosphate has a lower DG of hydrolysis.

Induced fit: Binding of glucose to Hexokinase promotes a large conformational change by stabilizing an alternative conformation in which: the C6 hydroxyl of the bound glucose is close to the terminal phosphate of ATP, promoting catalysis. water is excluded from the active site. This prevents the enzyme from catalyzing ATP hydrolysis, rather than transfer of phosphate to glucose. 

It is a common motif for an enzyme active site to be located at an interface between protein domains that are connected by a flexible hinge region. The structural flexibility allows access to the active site, while permitting precise positioning of active site residues, and in some cases exclusion of water, as substrate binding promotes a particular conformation.

2. Phosphoglucose Isomerase catalyzes: glucose-6-P (aldose)  fructose-6-P (ketose) The mechanism involves acid/base catalysis, with ring opening, isomerization via an enediolate intermediate, and then ring closure. A similar reaction catalyzed by Triosephosphate Isomerase will be presented in detail.

3. Phosphofructokinase catalyzes: fructose-6-P + ATP  fructose-1,6-bisP + ADP This highly spontaneous reaction has a mechanism similar to that of Hexokinase. The Phosphofructokinase reaction is the rate-limiting step of Glycolysis. The enzyme is highly regulated, as will be discussed later.

4. Aldolase catalyzes: fructose-1,6-bisphosphate  dihydroxyacetone-P + glyceraldehyde-3-P The reaction is an aldol cleavage, the reverse of an aldol condensation. Note that C atoms are renumbered in products of Aldolase.

A lysine residue at the active site functions in catalysis. The keto group of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate reacts with the e-amino group of the active site lysine, to form a protonated Schiff base intermediate. Cleavage of the bond between C3 & C4 follows.

5. Triose Phosphate Isomerase (TIM) catalyzes: dihydroxyacetone-P  glyceraldehyde-3-P Glycolysis continues from glyceraldehyde-3-P. TIM's Keq favors dihydroxyacetone-P. Removal of glyceraldehyde-3-P by a subsequent spontaneous reaction allows throughput.

The ketose/aldose conversion involves acid/base catalysis, and is thought to proceed via an enediol intermediate, as with Phosphoglucose Isomerase. Active site Glu and His residues are thought to extract and donate protons during catalysis.

2-Phosphoglycolate is a transition state analog that binds tightly at the active site of Triose Phosphate Isomerase (TIM). This inhibitor of catalysis by TIM is similar in structure to the proposed enediolate intermediate. TIM is judged a "perfect enzyme." Reaction rate is limited only by the rate that substrate collides with the enzyme.

Triosephosphate Isomerase structure is an ab barrel, or TIM barrel. In an ab barrel there are 8 parallel b-strands surrounded by 8 a-helices. Short loops connect alternating b-strands & a-helices.

TIM barrels serve as scaffolds for active site residues in a diverse array of enzymes. Residues of the active site are always at the same end of the barrel, on C-terminal ends of b-strands & loops connecting these to a-helices. There is debate whether the many different enzymes with TIM barrel structures are evolutionarily related. In spite of the structural similarities there is tremendous diversity in catalytic functions of these enzymes and little sequence homology.

Explore the structure of the Triosephosphate Isomerase (TIM) homodimer, with the transition state inhibitor 2-phosphoglycolate bound to one of the TIM monomers. Note the structure of the TIM barrel, and the loop that forms a lid that closes over the active site after binding of the substrate.

6. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate Dehydrogenase catalyzes: glyceraldehyde-3-P + NAD+ + Pi  1,3-bisphosphoglycerate + NADH + H+

Exergonic oxidation of the aldehyde in glyceraldehyde- 3-phosphate, to a carboxylic acid, drives formation of an acyl phosphate, a "high energy" bond (~P). This is the only step in Glycolysis in which NAD+ is reduced to NADH.

A cysteine thiol at the active site of Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate Dehydrogenase has a role in catalysis. The aldehyde of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate reacts with the cysteine thiol to form a thiohemiacetal intermediate.

Oxidation to a carboxylic acid (in a ~ thioester) occurs, as NAD+ is reduced to NADH. The “high energy” acyl thioester is attacked by Pi to yield the acyl phosphate (~P) product.

Recall that NAD+ accepts 2 e- plus one H+ (a hydride) in going to its reduced form.

7. Phosphoglycerate Kinase catalyzes: 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate + ADP  3-phosphoglycerate + ATP This phosphate transfer is reversible (low DG), since one ~P bond is cleaved & another synthesized. The enzyme undergoes substrate-induced conformational change similar to that of Hexokinase.

8. Phosphoglycerate Mutase catalyzes: 3-phosphoglycerate  2-phosphoglycerate Phosphate is shifted from the OH on C3 to the OH on C2.

An active site histidine side-chain participates in Pi transfer, by donating & accepting the phosphate. The process involves a 2,3-bisphosphate intermediate. View an animation of the Phosphoglycerate Mutase reaction.

9. Enolase catalyzes 2-phosphoglycerate  phosphoenolpyruvate + H2O This Mg++-dependent dehydration reaction is inhibited by fluoride. Fluorophosphate forms a complex with Mg++ at the active site.

10. Pyruvate Kinase catalyzes: phosphoenolpyruvate + ADP  pyruvate + ATP

This phosphate transfer from PEP to ADP is spontaneous. PEP has a larger DG of phosphate hydrolysis than ATP. Removal of Pi from PEP yields an unstable enol, which spontaneously converts to the keto form of pyruvate. Required inorganic cations K+ and Mg++ bind to anionic residues at the active site of Pyruvate Kinase.

Glycolysis continued. Recall that there are 2 GAP per glucose.

Glycolysis Balance sheet for ~P bonds of ATP: How many ATP ~P bonds expended? ________ How many ~P bonds of ATP produced? (Remember there are two 3C fragments from glucose.) ________ Net production of ~P bonds of ATP per glucose: ________ 2 4 2

Balance sheet for ~P bonds of ATP: 2 ATP expended 4 ATP produced (2 from each of two 3C fragments from glucose) Net production of 2 ~P bonds of ATP per glucose. Glycolysis - total pathway, omitting H+: glucose + 2 NAD+ + 2 ADP + 2 Pi  2 pyruvate + 2 NADH + 2 ATP In aerobic organisms: pyruvate produced in Glycolysis is oxidized to CO2 via Krebs Cycle NADH produced in Glycolysis & Krebs Cycle is reoxidized via the respiratory chain, with production of much additional ATP. 

Fermentation: Anaerobic organisms lack a respiratory chain. They must reoxidize NADH produced in Glycolysis through some other reaction, because NAD+ is needed for the Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate Dehydrogenase reaction. Usually NADH is reoxidized as pyruvate is converted to a more reduced compound, that may be excreted. The complete pathway, including Glycolysis and the reoxidation of NADH, is called fermentation.

E.g., Lactate Dehydrogenase catalyzes reduction of the keto in pyruvate to a hydroxyl, yielding lactate, as NADH is oxidized to NAD+. Skeletal muscles ferment glucose to lactate during exercise, when aerobic metabolism cannot keep up with energy needs. Lactate released to the blood may be taken up by other tissues, or by muscle after exercise, and converted via the reversible Lactate Dehydrogenase back to pyruvate, e.g., for entry into Krebs Cycle.

Lactate is also a significant energy source for neurons in the brain. Astrocytes, which surround and protect neurons in the brain, ferment glucose to lactate and release it. Lactate taken up by adjacent neurons is converted to pyruvate that is oxidized via Krebs Cycle.

Some anaerobic organisms metabolize pyruvate to ethanol, which is excreted as a waste product. NADH is converted to NAD+ in the reaction catalyzed by Alcohol Dehydrogenase.

Glycolysis, omitting H+: glucose + 2 NAD+ + 2 ADP + 2 Pi  2 pyruvate + 2 NADH + 2 ATP Fermentation, from glucose to lactate: glucose + 2 ADP + 2 Pi  2 lactate + 2 ATP Anaerobic catabolism of glucose yields only 2 “high energy” bonds of ATP.

Glycolysis Enzyme/Reaction DGo' kJ/mol DG kJ/mol Hexokinase -20.9 -27.2 Phosphoglucose Isomerase +2.2 -1.4 Phosphofructokinase -17.2 -25.9 Aldolase +22.8 -5.9 Triosephosphate Isomerase +7.9 negative Glyceraldehyde-3-P Dehydrogenase & Phosphoglycerate Kinase -16.7 -1.1 Phosphoglycerate Mutase +4.7 -0.6 Enolase -3.2 -2.4 Pyruvate Kinase -23.0 -13.9 *Values in this table from D. Voet & J. G. Voet (2004) Biochemistry, 3rd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, New York, p. 613.

Three Glycolysis enzymes catalyze spontaneous reactions: Hexokinase, Phosphofructokinase & Pyruvate Kinase. Control of these enzymes determines the rate of the Glycolysis pathway. Local control involves dependence of enzyme-catalyzed reactions on concentrations of pathway substrates or intermediates within a cell. Global control involves hormone-activated production of second messengers that regulate cellular reactions for the benefit of the organism as a whole. Local control of Hexokinase and Phosphofructokinase will be discussed here. Regulation by hormone-activated cAMP signal cascade will be discussed later.

Hexokinase is inhibited by its product glucose-6-phosphate. Glucose-6-phosphate inhibits by competition at the active site, as well as by allosteric interactions at a separate site on the enzyme.

Cells trap glucose by phosphorylating it, preventing exit on glucose carriers. Product inhibition of Hexokinase ensures that cells will not continue to accumulate glucose from the blood, if [glucose-6-phosphate] within the cell is ample.

Glucokinase, a variant of Hexokinase found in liver, has a high KM for glucose. It is active only at high [glucose]. Glucokinase is not subject to product inhibition by glucose-6-phosphate. Liver will take up & phosphorylate glucose even when liver [glucose-6-phosphate] is high. Liver Glucokinase is subject to inhibition by glucokinase regulatory protein (GKRP). The ratio of Glucokinase to GKRP changes in different metabolic states, providing a mechanism for modulating glucose phosphorylation.

Glucokinase, with its high KM for glucose, allows the liver to store glucose as glycogen, in the fed state when blood [glucose] is high.

Glucose-6-phosphatase catalyzes hydrolytic release of Pi from glucose-6-P. Thus glucose is released from the liver to the blood as needed to maintain blood [glucose]. The enzymes Glucokinase & Glucose-6-phosphatase, both found in liver but not in most other body cells, allow the liver to control blood [glucose].

Phosphofructokinase is usually the rate-limiting step of the Glycolysis pathway. Phosphofructokinase is allosterically inhibited by ATP. At low concentration, the substrate ATP binds only at the active site. At high concentration, ATP binds also at a low-affinity regulatory site, promoting the tense conformation.

The tense conformation of PFK, at high [ATP], has lower affinity for the other substrate, fructose-6-P. Sigmoidal dependence of reaction rate on [fructose-6-P] is seen. AMP, present at significant levels only when there is extensive ATP hydrolysis, antagonizes effects of high ATP.

Inhibition of the Glycolysis enzyme Phosphofructokinase when [ATP] is high prevents breakdown of glucose in a pathway whose main role is to make ATP. It is more useful to the cell to store glucose as glycogen when ATP is plentiful.